The 50 Per Cent Pension Surrenderers Welfare Association has adopted a fresh action plan to strengthen its organisation and intensify its campaign for the implementation of its 10-point demands, including the restoration of the remaining 50 per cent of the gratuity surrendered by pensioners.
The decisions were taken at an important meeting of the association’s central convening committee held in Mirpur, Dhaka, on Thursday. The meeting was chaired by association convenor Dr Ruhul Amin Chowdhury, with leaders from the central and divisional levels attending.
The meeting focused on strategies to secure what the organisation describes as the legitimate rights of pensioners who surrendered 50 per cent of their pension benefits. Participants discussed ways to build a stronger organisational structure and maintain sustained pressure for the implementation of the association’s 10-point demands.
Association member secretary Engineer MH Rashid, joint convenors Lt Commander Monirul Islam and Shaheen Kamal, policy council member Marjina Khatun, Dhaka divisional convenor Khondkar Abid Ahmed, Professor Zafar Alam, AKM Motaleb Hossain, Md Hafizur Rahman, Md Arzu Mia, Md Abdur Razzaq, Md Zahidur Rahman and Md Anwar Hossain Bhuiyan, among others, spoke at the meeting.
A major point of discussion was the demand for the return of the remaining 50 per cent of the gratuity. The leaders also reviewed organisational measures considered necessary to advance the association’s broader 10-point agenda.
The meeting decided to intensify membership recruitment, distribute membership cards, amend the organisation’s name for registration purposes, establish a fund and prepare further programmes to advance the movement. The leaders stressed that a stronger membership base would be essential for maintaining a sustained campaign and ensuring greater participation among affected pensioners.
Several organisational changes were also announced. Shaheen Kamal was appointed joint convenor of the central convening committee.
At the Dhaka divisional level, Khondkar Abid Ahmed was appointed convenor, while AKM Motaleb Hossain and Md Hafizur Rahman were made joint convenors. Md Arzu Mia was given the responsibility of member secretary.
Changes were also made to the association’s Dhaka South and Dhaka North convening committees. Md Anwar Hossain was appointed convenor and Md Anwar Hossain Bhuiyan member secretary of the Dhaka South committee. In the Dhaka North committee, Md Abdur Razzaq was appointed convenor and Md Zahidur Rahman member secretary.
Speaking at the meeting, the leaders said there was no alternative to a united movement to secure the long-standing demands of pensioners who had surrendered 50 per cent of their pension. They said the organisation would be strengthened from the central level down to the grassroots to press for the restoration of the remaining 50 per cent of the gratuity and implementation of all 10 demands.
The association plans to present its demands to the relevant authorities through a series of programmes. The leaders said sustained organisational activity and greater participation by pensioners would be central to advancing the campaign.
The newly appointed leaders were urged to play an active role in expanding the association’s activities, strengthening coordination among members and bringing more pensioners under a unified organisational platform.
